5:00pm
Raf walked into the house,
"I'm home!"
"Hey, Papi!" Noah came out of nowhere smiling.
"Mijo, I thought you were coming home tomorrow?"
"I was, but my trial ended today, so I thought I would surprise everyone."
"How did you do?"
"Guilty, 10 years." Noah beamed.
"That's my mijo." Raf smiled and hugged him.
Noah could tell something was bothering him, could tell it when he talked to him earlier. They walked into the living room.
"What's up, Papi?" Noah asked as he sat down, Raf sitting next to him.
"Nothing." Raf lied.
"Yes, it is. I could always tell when something was bothering you, like Mami says your eyes give you away."
"It's your brother." Raf said, sighing, leaning back on the couch running a hand through his silver hair.
"His grades? I thought he was doing better?"
"His grades and other stuff."
"What other stuff?' " Noah asked using air quotes.
"Skipping school, not asking for help, calling me Dad instead of 'Papi', I thought it was a phase, but I don't know."
"It probably is, I went through it, I think I called you Raf for like a month because of some other kids saying that you're not my biological dad."
"There's more than that mijo."
"So… what's going on?"
"Something about a possible gang."
"Have you talked to him?"
"Not yet but we called the principal today, then we were going to talk to him, maybe get you to help if you want. You two were always close." Raf said.
Noah nodded.
"What time is Mami, Zach, and Brook supposed to be home?"
"Well Zach is already supposed to be home, Brook and Liv always come in together."
"You mean you get home before Mami now?"
Raf laughed.
"Sometimes. We mostly take a cab home together."
They talked about the cases they were both trying. Noah asked him his opinion on one of his cases. They fixed supper and as they finished Brook and Liv walked in.
"Noah!" Brook yelled.
"Brook!" Noah smiled, hugging his sister.
"No, hello for your mother?" Liv asked mock hurt.
"Hi, Mami." Noah said as he kissed her on the cheek and hugged her.
Liv looked at Raf.
"I thought you said he was coming tomorrow."
"I was but my case wrapped up earlier than I thought. I was already home before he got home." Noah said.
Liv looked between the two boys that kind of started her and Rafael's relationship. They were inseparable even now, she wished Zach and Raf would get on the same page.
"Have you heard anything from Zach?" Raf asked.
Liv shook her head no.
Noah sighed, getting out his phone texting him, no reply.
"Anything, mijo?"
"No Papi." Noah sighed.
"Have you seen him, Brook?" Liv asked.
"No Mami. I didn't see him at lunch or in the hallway."
Raf and Liv locked eyes, Raf went back to dinner. They'd had dinner and it was almost 11 and Zach still wasn't home. They were all sitting on the couch, Brook asleep with her head against Liv's leg.
"You want Papi and I to go look for him? Noah asked.
Liv sat there quietly for a few minutes rubbing her hand through Brook's hair. Raf crouched in front of her in between her legs.
"Mi amor…. Liv?...Liv?...Olivia." Raf said.
She didn't respond. Raf rubbed a hand up and down her arm getting her attention.
Liv snapped out of it.
"What?"
"Do you want me and Noah to go find him?"
"Yeah." Liv said getting up, Noah put a hand on her shoulder.
"You stay with Brook, just in case he comes home."
"Who made you boss?" Liv asked, looking up at Noah.
"I agree with you Liv, but I agree with Noah more." Raf said, getting up to stand with Noah.
"Rafi."
"No buts! You stay here."
"You two ganging up on me again?" She asked her boys.
"Don't we always?" Raf smirked, leaning down giving her a kiss, then kissing Brook's head.
"Okay, I'll stay." Liv leaned back on the couch continuing running her hand through Brook's hair.
Raf and Noah walked out the door to the car.
"Papi, how are we going to find him? We just left the only cop in the family in the house?"
Raf got out his phone, dialing a number.
"Hey… I need help."
Noah smiled when he heard his uncle Fin's voice on the other end of the phone call.